Blue Chip Collections Presents The Bombers VS The Birdmen

By: Jimbo Brown 

Blue Chip Collection has put a twist to one of their previous designs that was influence the motion picture Above The Rim. BCC believes that the movie shows America that the road for the minority athlete has many obstacles. The athlete has decide whether their going to take the positive or negative route on the journey to success. 

The Blue Chip Bombers & Birdmen jerseys are symbolic of those triumphs and struggles. The championship game of the Shootout Tournament summarizes the film and BCC's collection. No matter what someone says, stay true to your beliefs and it will play out in your favor. 

You can pre-order your jersey starting tomorrow 05/31 at BlueChipCollection.net and receive 20% off by using the code: NutSo. 

Believe. Love. Unite. Empower

University of Florida Women Gymnastics: Dynasty, Dynasty!

By Jimbo Brown

Coach Faehn Giving Some Pointers To A Young Athlete

Athlete Talk normally supply its readers with articles about the more traditional sports; football, basketball, track & field, etc. So today we wanted to show some love to the University of Florida Women’s gymnastics team. The team is being coached by a great women that believes in talent, persistence and talent. Coach Rhonda Faehn has been the coach for the past 13 years and has brought nothing but success to the university. During her time UF has won 4 sec titles, 10 NCAA regional titles, 10 super six appearances and 3 back to back to back national titles. The only other sports program to win three consecutive national titles is UF men’s track & field team. The women’s team has tons of talent on it.

2015 NCAA Gymnastics Champions

On every team championship team there are individuals that the underclassmen look up to and those two are Kytra Hunter and Bridget Sloans. These two set the tone for the other athletes on the team, especially Hunter. Hunter is a 15-time All American and is a 3x NCAA champion. Like most teams, the Gators had an up and down regular season. Through the good and bad times the whole roster delivered at clutch moments. For example, Bridgette Gaquatto’s career-best-tying floor routine gave UF a share of the 2014 title. This year freshman Alex McMurty came through and delivered the 3^rd consecutive national title by putting up a career best 9.95 to close UF’s bar rotation. Three freshman competed with the team for the national title, this establishes a good foundation for the slight rebuild Coach Faehn has to do.

Losing Hunter and fellow seniors Rachel Spicer, Jamie Shisler and Kierten Wang would be devastating for most teams. These seniors have contributed to the team in so many ways. The squad is already returning 9 people from their national championship team. 7 of the 9 actually competed this past weekend. The incoming freshmen will have plenty of leadership to follow because the retuning athletes have never experience a season that didn’t end with a national title. Freshman Kennedy Baker is the only African American on the team right now and she had a very good beginning to her career. The Gators have a bright future ahead of them. To be successful you have to emulate the greats.

University of Florida: A Track & Field Powerhouse

By: Jimbo Brown

Dedric Dukes bringing home a 1st place finish

University of Florida is considered one of the best schools to attend in the world. Being one of the top-ranked public schools, UF has one of the biggest fan bases. This wonderful institution has excelled both academically and athletically. The Warrington Business School just won 1st place at the national case competition and the girl’s gymnastics team took home a National Championship in 2014. The track program has had the most consistency since Coach Mike Holloway took over about a decade ago.  The Gators are coming off of a successful weekend at Florida Relays track meet. The men and women teams finished with 20 individual personal records and 17 top-five finishes.

Coach Holloway aka “Mouse” a UF graduate is the nucleus that makes the machine produce greatness and consistency. He was an assistant coach on the 2012 USA Olympic team. Through his 8-year career with the Gators he has develop 12 individual national champions. The men’s and women’s programs has won multiple of indoor and outdoor SEC conference championships. If the teams didn't win out right, they either tied with another powerhouse or finished in the top-three. The men’s program has had more success overall bringing 5 team national championships; 3 indoor and 2 outdoor. The program wouldn't be as successful if it wasn't for the talent coach Holloway is able to recruit throughout the year.

Holloway is a mastermind when it comes to recruiting. He has always been able to get the most talented runners in the nation. Both teams are stacked with runners, jumpers and throwers from across the nation. Even though the Gators can have any student-athlete in the country, Holloway focuses on the talent in the state of Florida. Ebony Eutsey and Robin Reynolds two of the most decorated Florida High School athletes. They have contributed to the success of the women program, along with many others. On behalf of the men programs, the athletes that have come through have went on to represent the university and the country all over the world. Will Claye, Tony McQuay, Christian Taylor and Jeff Demps have contributed to our countries Olympic success. Coach Holloway has modeled many athletes to NCAA legends. The track & field program has produced 47 All-Americans and 141 All-American Honors. To have a great program at any level of competition you have to have a great leader.

This past indoor season yielded great results for the University of Florida Men’s program, with them winning the SEC championship this year. Najee Glass posted the second fastest 400m time in the nation this year and the 8^th fastest time in school history. With this early success, he will do nothing but progress. Coach Holloway is one of the best coaches in the nation and has built a program that will continuously  grow.

Al Golden: GTFOH

By: Jimbo Brown 

Since the UM/FIU brawl in the Orange Bowl, The U has unintentionally turned back into just The University of Miami. You may be thinking to yourself, "These are the same school". To me these are two different types of programs. Growing up in the era of The U, I got to see legends such as Sean Taylor, Andre Johnson and Carol City bred Santana Moss. They just didn't bring talent to the program but the same swag that greats before them possessed. Now,the kids only get to see a few of these players come through the program now, like Allen Hurns, Duke Johnson and Sean Spence. There has been other players that represents The U but they are just a small percentage of the players. The culture of the program has vastly changed once the coaching changes became more frequent.

Al Golden has been the coach for a couple years now and the program haven't lived up to expectations of the core fans. I have lost hope for this coaching staff because they have had enough talent on to compete with the new king of the Florida, Florida State Seminoles. Golden has yet to deliver an 8-win season at the University of Miami. He has yet to produce a bowl win to the campus and only season he has had is destroying a already dying legacy. 

The main reason I would like to see Al Golden leave because he let great high school players fall to the waist side. Injured 5-star athletes were forgotten about because they wasn't the players he recruited. Players like Eduardo Clements, who once had offers on top of offers, was forgotten about after a neck injury. Even though he was cleared to play, Golden relied on a talented but inexperienced Dallas Crawford. If Eduardo was used in more often, when Duke went out with the ankle injury in 2013, the season would have went down the drain. This past season wasn't successful either which leads me to believe he is on a short leash.

The leash the Alumni is holding on Al Golden before they start to snap is shorter than Kevin Hart and Wee Man fighting. He has to produce a 10-win season, a respectable bowl appearance and develop his players. He has no excuses this season; its his system, coaches and players HE recruited. You can say he is on the HOT SEAT.

Athlete Talk Mock Draft 1.0

By: Jimbo Brown 

1. Tampa Bay: Jameis Winston, QB,  Florida State-- They need a quarterback and he's #1 on the board. Take EM!
2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT/DE, USC-- They will pass on a QB right now and get the best player in the draft.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, UF--I'm a gator and the Jags need a game changer to come off the edge. He will give them a Jamie Collins type hybrid player.
4. Oakland Raiders: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska-- HE will join a talented front seven with Justin Tuck and Khalil Mack. Immediate impact because those two can demand double teams at any time. 
5. Washington Redskins: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri-- With Brian Orakpo entering free agency, they will need a pass rusher to step in and Shane was very productive for multiple years in the SEC.
6. New York Jets: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson-- With Revis and Cro returning back to New Tork, a dynamic pass rusher will make them a force in the AFC East.
7. Chicago Bears: Alvin "Bud" Dupre, DE, Kentucky-- With a great resume as a Wildcat, he will bring that toughness and talent of the SEC to the bears. Who need to add more pieces to a depleted defense.
8. Atlants Falcons: Lando Collins, SS, Alabama-- An All-American wit the Rolling Tide. He was a playmaker throughout his career; know for big hits and causing mayhem. 
9. New York Giants: Ereck Flowers' OT' Miami-- I'm  not going to lie I got a text message telling me that Flowers will be drafted by the giants. He will be a great addition because they need to protect Eli to have any chance in the NFC East.
10. St. Louis Rams: Kevin White, WR, WVU-- Another West V receiver that has the size, speed and ability to be a #1 receiver. The have a good possession receivers and White will be the deep threat to make the defense "Kiss the Baby"  Chad Johnson voice.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama--Coop will be reunited with the doctor Teddy B and be the playmaker to compliment Adrian Peteson. He will get immediate separation due to his crisp routes.
12. Cleveland Browns: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon-- Even though I got a feeling that Chip is going to make a way to get Marcus, Cleveland needs a back-up plan incase Johnny doesn't be fully rehabilitated. Marcus will be a project but they have a good defense to protect him earl in his career.
13. New Orleans Saints: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota-- With the departure of pro bowler Jimmy Graham, you have to get first round potential to replace em. 
14. Miami Dolphins: Devante Parker, WR, Louisville--With Mike Wallace not living up to his potential and the lost of productive veterans. He will be a vertical threat early in his career. He is arguably the best receiver in the draft if he was healthy throughout his career.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU-- With the lost of Justin Smith , they need a good interior d-linemen. Goldman is a run-stopper and can put pressure on the quarterback. 
16. Houston Texans: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas-- You add this talent with Watt and Clowney and be one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL. 
17. San Diego Chargers: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin-- Ryan Matthews leaves to Philly, so this is a excellent replacement. Melvin is the best running back in this drive. He does have fumbling issues.  
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri/Oklahoma-- A big receiver that KC need to be more effective on offensive. He has some red flags but he will be a red zone threat early similar to Mike Evans this past season.
19. Cleveland Browns: Cameron Erving, OL, FSU-- Lets protect whoever is the starting QB next season , whether its Mariota or Manziel. Erving is a great talent who protected Winston for two years and looked good doing it. 
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Trae Wayans, CB, MSU-- A long, fast lock down corner who has an incredibly high ceiling. This will allow the Eagles to push Thurmond into the inside and like Maxwell and Wayans handle the outside. 
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford-- A former five-star recruit who has major potential, he had some lapses during his career but with the right coaching he will be a great professional.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: P.J. Williams, CB, FSU-- A 2-year starter at Florida State, who is talented enough to upgrade the Steelers secondary who desperately need corners. It will be interesting to see P.J's game translate to the next level.
23. Detroit Lions: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington-- Sometimes you have to take the best available. 
24. Arizona Cardinals: Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU-- With his lanky build, he brings strength and agility to this team. In this pass happy league he will fit i. 
25. Carolina Panther: DJ Humpries, OT, UF-- An outstanding player for the Gators. He will be a starting RT but needs to be groomed into a LT. 
26. Baltimore Ravens: Todd Gurley, RB, UGA-- Even though they need a corner back and maybe a interior d-linemen, I believe you have to take the best available prospect. Especially when healthy fits the culture that's already in Baltimore.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon-- He will bring size and athleticism to a Cowboys defensive that will have to get better now that DeMarco is gone now. 
28. Denver Broncos: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma--With the lost of Knighton they will need first-round talent to fill his shoes. 
29. Indianapolis Colts: Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA-- A fast linebacker who can play sideline to sideline. He is alittle undersized but can make big plays all over the field. His big brother being in the NFL already, he have someone to show him how to represent himself on and off the field.
30. Green Bay Packers: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington-- Former safety with the Huskies, he will transition into the NFL perfectly. He has the skill set to be that hybrid safety that can play in the box and cover RB's and TE's.
31. Seattle Seahawks: Jaelen Strong, WR, ASU-- He will add to the recievers corp they already have. HE is big, fast strong and will win on most 50/50 balls.
32. New England Patriots: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest-- Will be an immediate starter due to the lost of Darelle Revis. He has the talent to survive in the AFC East. 

High School Cheerleaders Defy Ban of Prayer

By: Jimbo Brown

The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) of Tennessee sent out letter last year banning school lead prayer over the pa system before the start of sporting events. Up until September no one really reaction to the ban. That changed the first week of this years football season, the Oneida and Watertown high school cheerleaders joined hands when the announcer signaled for a moment of silence. They began to recite the Lords prayer. Shortly after the crowd joined in and the prayer was heard a crossed the stadium. Faith has played a strong presence in their community and going hand to hand with Friday Night Lights. They were executed this perfectly because they dodged legal trouble. 

When this was brought to my attention I felt that the ACLU was hurting the students and communities across Tennessee. I remember reciting the Lords Prayer before and after games ever since I started playing sports. It gave the team assurance that when things go wrong we had extra spiritual help. On the other hand, you have to consider the people who are big on religion and how uncomfortable they will feel during the prayer over the PA System. I believe if the teams will do this privately by themselves then its okay. Even the bible states that prayer should be conducted in private. Matthew 6:6, But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. This bible verse made me changed my mind on this topic. How do you feel?

Season of Giving: 1st Annual Turkey Bowl Extravaganza

By: Jimbo Brown

“Good works is giving to the poor and the helpless, but divine works is showing them their worth to the One who matters.” - Criss Jami

One day while exploring the clouds, I had a flashback of some of the great times my close friends and I enjoyed together. These times included throwing one of the biggest house party in Tallahassee, Florida, to playing football every thanksgiving morning. The one I remember the most was when my homeboy from Oregon gave us some gear and we all was out there looking like baby Ducks. This was one of the few times that we could all get together and indulge in an activity that brought us all together. It became an event that us and other compadres would look forward to while home for the holidays. Once I came down from cloud surfing, the idea of making this an annual event for the community was stuck in my mind. Thus, the 1st Annual Turkey Bowl Extravaganza Fundraiser/Flag Football Game was born. 

C-Town Athletics, Behind the Scene Kings and Beautiful Spirited Women has put together this event. The purpose of this event is to give families the ability to have a thanksgiving dinner that we believe everyone should experience. Most people have the pleasure of eating a hot meal on Thanksgiving while others can only day dream about it. These organizations want this event to bring the community together and show that there are people that care. 

TBE2K14 is half fundraiser/food drive and half flag football game. This event will be held on November 23rd from 1pm-5pm at Betty T Ferguson Sports Complex. The day will be filled with music, giveaways and flag football. An limited amount of thanksgiving baskets will be given to the families that need it. There will be two flag football game: CTA vs BTSK and Total Package vs Go Gettas. Come out and enjoy yourself at this community event. 

Money controls American Football: College and Professional

By: Jimbo Brown

3.5 billion people across the world actively enjoy soccer, that is half of the human race. The NFL has been trying to tap into the global market aggressively over these past few years. I did an essay my freshman at UF on the Globalization of American football and didn’t understand the reasoning behind it until I reflected on the topic one day. 

Realizing that the NFL went through a lockout over 10 billion dollars and the game becoming “safer” was to help the globalization of the game. When you bring money into any situation, things start to become difficult. You even see the change of the rules helping the NFL to globalize because the outside world see us as a violent country. The NFL nowadays is not looking like the NFL I grew up on where big hits and running backs is what you watched the game for. You have former players looking at the game they once played in disgrace. Baseball and Basketball doesn’t change their rules just to gain global notoriety. The money will be the success and failure of the NFL. 

It’s funny how College Football and the NFL have this one thing in common that make people do unethical things and thats CAPITAL. How can the NCAA punish a player that trying to make some money on the name he built. Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton and now recently Todd Gurley have all been ridiculed about being payed for various agreements. This further support the argument that collegiate players should be compensated for making the College Football product so good. The tradition that these colleges and universities have established is producing billions of dollars. While the main producer doesn’t get anything but a scholarship thats not even worth one percent of what they are making.

The demand for both sports is growing at a rapid pace. The NCAA has already extended the football season by adding the 4-team playoff. The NFL is following suite by discussing adding 2-games to the season. pushing the Super Bowl deep into February. Both entities are being impacted by their increase of revenue. I believe in the near future college athletes will be paid and the NFL will get back to the way it was when I grew up. 

Miami Youth Football: More than Just a Platform

By: Jimbo Brown

Growing up in Miami, their were not many opportunities for the youth to succeed. We were constantly surrounded by violence and drugs either being sold or used. In other cities, it might be unusual to see crack pipes or baggies on the streets, but in the inner city of Miami that’s every day life.  When living in Miami it is easy for you to get sidetracked and into the gang/drug culture. Those were the successful people we saw on a daily basis.  We have no choice but to turn to little league sports, football being the most popular.Youth football helped kids in  my generation in multiple ways. It keep us off the dangerous streets of Miami, helped us learn discipline, and build a brotherhood with peers we normally wouldn’t have. 

If you were able to withstand the desire to join that culture, the people in it would encourage you continue on the sports route to success. Our coaches were extended father figures and for some the father figure that they were missing. Some coaches would get so involved where they would pick kids up for practice, pay for participation and supplies, plus get involved in academics for those who needed it. When you got in trouble at home or in school the coaches would discipline you on top of being punished at home. Running, crabbing and having to hit the whole team are just some of the disciplinary tools used. Lifetime friendships have been made through playing optimist football. Most of my friends I have either played with or against during my optimist career. The Miami youth football scene is filled with many teams in several different leagues. 

When it comes to the popularity of Miami youth football it is known and respected throughout the country. Years back Uncle Luke and Snoop Dogg hosted a day filled with the best youth teams throughout the country. Most of the teams were from the Miami and  California pop warner leagues. Miami's Pop Warner and South Florida Youth Football League was arguably the two best leagues and where most of the talent in Miami was found. The programs that had consistent success and talent were: North Dade, Bunche Park, Scott Lake, Gwen Cherry, NW Boys & Girls Club, Liberty City and Miami Gardens. Many players have became stars on their high school, college and professional level. 

Teddy Bridgewater, Devonta Freeman, Allen Hurns, Eugene Smith and Kayvon Webster are just a few players who continued their success throughout all three levels. These individuals and a host of others serve as role models and give the youth hope that their dreams can come true. Showing the youth in their communities that dreams do come true.

Adrian Peterson Child Abuse Scandal: Was he right or wrong?

By: Jimbo Brown

It has been a long couple of weeks for the NFL due to legal issues: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, neither being acceptable to me or to many others across the nation. When it comes to the Adrian Peterson situation I believe he has every right to discipline his children. He may have went overboard, but he only implemented the tactics learned by his parents.

For those who may not know the story let me get you up to speed. Earlier this year in May, Peterson took a switch (thin branch with no leaves) and spanked his son for pushing his sibling. He was questioned by two different police departments with a lawyer, summoned and testified before the Grand Jury. A warrant for his arrest was issued in Montgomery, Texas, where he turned himself in and posted the $25,000 bail. The Minnesota Vikings will not take any action until due process has taken place. 

Even though the child sustained bodily injures and Peterson may have went over board, I believe you can't tell someone how to discipline their child. In the black community, getting whipped or spanked is common in most households. Parents go-to line will always be “I brought you into this world and I can take you out.” We all have done things in our life that has lead to our parents disciplining us.

It was times during my life where my parents have disciplined me in multiple ways: whippings (belts,switches etc) and Physical (punch in chest, slap in face etc). have gotten bruises and sometimes bleed during a whipping. I now understand the purpose for the punishment. It made me think about the actions and the consequences behind it. My parents also explained to me after on why this happen and how I can prevent it by following their rules. I believe the white culture will not understand because they were raised differently. 

A large part of the country is quick to judge this situation but no one is in the position to tell someone how to discipline their child. We all have our beliefs and ways we might have gone about this. Adrian Peterson admits to overly whipping his child but didn’t intentionally mean to abuse and harm HIS child. I hope the NFL doesn't overly react to the situation before all the details are out. We don’t need another Ray Rice situation. 

One Night in Magic City

By: Jimbo Brown

About a week ago “A week ago”, Ray Rice was living good. He believed everything that happened in the Atlantic City casino elevator was in the past. As the saying goes “What happens in the dark, must come to the light,” is exactly what happen when the video from inside the elevator was released Monday by TMZ.

There are several issues that I feel need to be addressed that stems from this situation. The first issue is domestic violence, how the NFL glosses over it and the severity of Ray Rice new punishment. 

Domestic Violence is something that is present in all cultures and walks of life. Even though the man is most likely to be punished for the crime, the women can become the attacker too. A man or woman shouldn’t engage in any physical altercation, whether they are married, boyfriend/girlfriend or just friends. In the case of Ray and Janay Rice, it could be said that Janay provoked him to deliver the knock out blow. In his press conference, Ray stated that wasn’t the way he was raised, meaning he knew better and could have been the bigger person. His actions are still looked down upon. 

Ray Rice was suspended for a mere 2 games before the new video was released. This means Rice would have attended practice this coming Friday. This suspension was criticize by many professionals. It felt odd seeing him get much less time then a Josh Gordon. The NFL doesn’t care about Domestic Violence when 2 other players suited up Sunday with pending domestic violence cases: Ray McDonald and Greg Hardy. The indefinite suspension and release of Ray Rice was strictly a PR move.

The NFL was put in a predicament Monday when the footage was released. Already being criticize for sweeping this issue under the rug, I believe the media and society forced the NFL to deliver an even harsh penalty to make up for the backlash. Ray Rice is suspended indefinitely and was released by the Baltimore Ravens for a issue that he received rehab for. Ray and Janay had already moved forward with their lives. Janay expressed her feelings in a Instagram post Tuesday morning. 

Ray Rice actions were inexcusable that night in the elevator and it still is. Its not cool to punish someone two times for one mistake, especially when the person is remorseful and has taken the necessary steps to move forward. It’s not his fault the NFL didn’t get it right the 1st time. I hope that Ray and Janay Rice keep fighting for him to get back on the field sooner then later. 

When you Stay Ready...

By Jimbo Brown

Close your eyes! Now imagine you are a 3-year starter at your dream-school and a historically known NCAA college football powerhouse. You end your senior year by breaking the career receiving record that puts your name in the category with all the greats who played before you. Now its on to the “process” known as the NFL draft. With your talents and production in college anyone would expect to be drafted no later then the 3rd round. That wasn’t the case for undrafted free agent (UFA) Allen Hurns, now, 3rd string receiver of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

The 3-day event became more grueling after each round, when Hurns didn’t hear his name called. After the 6th round he didn’t want to hear his name called at all. Becoming a UFA would give him the power to decide where he wanted to take out his frustration. He kept faith that God would lead him in the right direction. Hurns gets his Christian faith from his mother Ms. Erica Wilson. With the support of his mother, family and friends Hurns kept a positive outlook on the task ahead. Enabling him to hook up with his former Offensive Coordinator from his early years at UM.  His main focus would be on perfecting his technique since he was so familiar with the playbook. Given himself a edge on the rookies and veterans on the team. 

Determined to show all 32 teams that they made a big mistake, Hurns went into the rookie workouts with a big chip on his shoulder. He was determined to prove the “experts” wrong. Hurns would go to neighborhood parks around 1 am and run air routes. His early success in OTA's led to an invitation to the 90-man training camp. Once Hurns got into camp, his hard work was aided with quite a few injuries within the receiving group. From practicing with the 5th group to working with the 1’s and 2’s helped him catch the eye of the coaches. He caught the attention of the nation by outperforming every receiver in the NFL, especially the ones took in the 2014 draft.

Hurns has a strong case to start alongside veteran Cecil Shorts III, due to the fact that he out worked 2nd rounder Marqise Lee. Finishing the preseason with 14 catches for 232 yards has led experts to believe Allen is steal for the Jaguars. He averaged 17.7 yards per catch and has 45 yards more then any other receiver in the NFL. 

Since joining the team Hurns has found himself very hungry yet humble about the situation. Hurns has expressed his journey so far into three words: Dedication, Faith, Underrated. As stated on “A Few Good Minutes with Brian Sexton”, Hurns believe its not about how you get there, its will you seize the opportunity or not (Link Below).  Allen has began on a path that can become a true cinderella story. No matter if he starts or not “He will Stay Ready, So he don’t have to Get Ready."

A Few Good Minutes with Brian Sexton: Allen Hurns

America is Changing, the NFL should too

By: Jimbo Brown

The same day “Athlete Talk” debuted, two Pittsburgh Steelers running backs were cited for a misdemeanor marijuana possession. The NFL is more than likely to issue out suspensions but for now the situation is under investigation. I first, want to express my opinion on how dumb it is to drive around in a car with 20 grams of Weed (Stephen A. Voice). This is a prime example to show that marijuana is affecting the NFL culture everyday. On the other hand, this allows me to introduce a new perspective. The NFL should adapt to the times as America has and become more “understandable” when it comes to marijuana use. 

Opening up to using medical reasons should be the 1st step the NFL should take when tackling the marijuana issues in the locker room. The NFL has two law suits there’re currently dealing with: concussions and painkillers. Marijuana has showed to help with concussion-like symptoms without the side effects of the painkillers that the NFL has pushed on players throughout decades.

In a Huffington Post article by Eddie Pellis, retired defensive lineman Marvin Washington states that players don’t smoke because its something to do. Washington reveals its more of an “What if you could take something that helps you heal faster from a concussion, that prevents your equilibrium from being off for two weeks and your eyesight for being off for four weeks?” 

Did you know that 6 players who have tested positive for marijuana use have been suspended longer then Ray Rice (Domestic Violence)? After doing research I discovered that Josh Gordon  (2014 season), Daryl Washington (2014 season), Von Miller (4 games in 2013), Walter Thurmond (4 games in 2013 season), Brandon Browner (2013 season and 4 games in 2014 season) and Will Hill (6 games in 2014 season) have been suspended more harshly then Rice. Rice will only have to serve a 2 game suspension after knocking his then fiancé unconscious and dragging her out an Atlantic City hotel elevator. 

The penalties are to severe when you consider that marijuana legality is expanding and it has a potential use as relief for chronic pain. We see this in everyday life when a drug dealer is convicted for 20 plus years, but people who commit violent-crimes are in prison for minimum years. The conservativeness of the NFL will not allow marijuana to get a past just yet but they are allowing this harmless drug to ruin young men careers and franchise seasons. 

Winning Your Fantasy Football League

By: @WOLFcandyman

Less than 2 weeks away from the opening kickoff in the NFL, which means fantasy football season, is in full swing. For the veterans & for those in their first year, I’ll be providing a few simple guidelines that I follow that have helped me finish in the top 3 for the last 3 years. For you all in the CTA fantasy league, take notes.

Before anything else, my main goal is to draft the most consistent & balanced team all the way from the quarterback to the kicker. So that means no weak spots. This requires you to know who to draft, when to draft them, & how many of each position to draft. In a regular 10 team league, my roster always consists of 1 quarterback, 1 tight end, 1 defense, & 1 kicker. The rest is straight running backs & wide receivers. If you have Peyton Manning or Jimmy Graham, there’s no need to draft a backup. As for defense, unl ess you have 1 of the top defenses, I prefer to pick up a different defense every week that’s going up against a weak offense.

So now, you want to jump on the Seahawks defense but it’s only the 5^th round…bad move. It’s a general rule that you wait until your last 2 picks to draft your defense & kicker because those positions are so unpredictable regarding fantasy production. The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the top defenses last year & they weren’t even drafted in most leagues. For this guide, I’ll focus on the first 4 picks. You could really go any way…it’s been years where I didn’t draft a running back until the 5^th round & others where my first 2 picks were running backs. But since the NFL in recent years has been relying less & less on the running game & more on wide open spread offenses with 4 receiver sets, many people choose to go with quarterback & wide receiver with their first picks. I say that only increases the demand & value for running backs because they are so scarce. The talent at quarterback & receiver is so deep this year that you can wait until later to draft one. However, once you get past the first 10 or 15 backs, there is a big drop off in production at the position. So that means you should attack running back first so you won’t be stuck with Mark Ingram as your starting back later on. Focus on getting 2 or 3 running backs with your first 4 picks. Analysts like ESPN’s Matthew Berry say there are 3 elite quarterbacks & 1 or 2 elite tight ends which means their fantasy production will be far above the rest of the pack. Berry suggests that you draft them early or wait until the later rounds to get one. His reasoning is that after those elites, the fantasy production (total fantasy points for season or average points a game) is about equal for the next 8 or so players in that position. You can get about the same production from the 9^th player as you can from the 3^rd. As for wide receivers, stack up on them. The position is deep & there are about 6 elite ones such as Megatron, AJ Green, & Dez Bryant.

So now who do you draft? I won’t go into specifics but I prefer players from high scoring offenses. The more points the team scores, the more points your player scores. I also go for players that will be on the field a majority of the time; you can’t score sitting on the bench. Avoid players 3 or 4 spots deep on the depth chart until you have drafted players that will put up enough points to start on a weekly basis. Remember the goal is consistency & balance. With each pick, you can go with the best player available or attack a need to address that weak spot on your team. Moving on to weekly matchups & free agency. Keep your eyes on the free agent market because there will be guys who didn’t get drafted but blow up later in the season. Questions on who to start really depend on matchups. If you’re undecided between 2 players, start the one with the better matchup. Either it’s a quarterback going up against a weak defense or a receiver lining up against a corner that allowed 4 touchdowns last week. If you still can’t decide, GO WITH YOUR GUT. All in all, if you know your football you should be good. Just remember the goal, be wise about who you put on your team & who to start on a weekly basis.